Purpose and Meaning of Human Existence Essay

One of the great ironies with respect to Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is that one of the world’s greatest plays is so poorly understood. There are, to be sure, many conflicting interpretations. Precise themes or intentions have been difficult to discern from the play’s text. These interpretive difficulties have been complicated by the fact that Beckett was often evasive when asked about the exact purpose of certain characters in the play or the meaning of the text. This is not meant to suggest that certain themes and intentions cannot be determined, for there certainly appear to be certain thematic patterns, but instead to suggest that the play does appear in certain ways to be open to different types of interpretations. A review of the scholarly texts and articles, for instance, reveals academic arguments to the effect that the play is about God, salvation, the French resistance to German occupation in the historical period in which the play was written, the purpose of human existence, and the meaningless of time. With such a variety of interpretations, supported by specific references to the play’s text and other historical circumstances, it would seem nearly impossible to identify an overarching or unifying theme. A careful examination of the play’s text, however, suggests that such a dominant thematic element can be found. The thesis of this paper, therefore, is that the dominant theme in Waiting for Godot is the human being’s search for purpose and meaning in a world that human beings either do not understand or cannot understand. In support of this thesis, this paper will attempt to harmonize the different critical interpretations and demonstrate that the main characters through their dialogue on a number of different subjects consistently illustrate the human quest for purpose and meaning in a world that seems hopelessly beyond their comprehension. Critical Confusion and Multiple Interpretations: Harmonizing Different Perspectives As an initial matter, before proceeding to an examination of the play’s text, it is useful to present the critical confusion that has arisen from multiple interpretations of the play. This is useful because even these different interpretations can be harmonized to some extant if the truly dominant theme of the play is said to be the human search for purpose and meaning in a complicated or complex world. It is well-established, for example, that the play presents a series of universal questions; specifically, as one academic has observed, â€Å"Waiting for Godot, in many ways, simply extends those uncertainties: Why are we here? Are we alone in an uncaring universe, or not? What are we to do while we are here? How can we know? And, ultimately, what does it matter? â€Å"(Hutchings x) These types of questions, to a large extant, transcend many of the conflicting interpretations. If Godot is God, as some have argued, then Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for God. They freely admit that they are not particularly familiar with Godot and this admission reflects and reinforces the fact that these two human beings do not have a perfect knowledge of the creator of their world. If Godot is not God, as some have argued, then Vladimir and Estragon are perhaps waiting for some type of intellectual spark in order to tell them why they are waiting, whether they should leave, or whether it might be better to leave their spot by the tree and take affirmative steps to go and find the mysterious Godot. In either event, whether Godot represents God or a figurative type of intellectual illumination, the core theme is one of two human beings who seem consistently unable to determine what to do. They engage in a series of superficial conversations, they consider suicide as a way of ending their confusion, and in the end they remain firmly planted on the country road much as the tree where they wait is firmly planted in the ground. Even if one is to assume, as some scholars have, that the play is really an artistic allusion to the French resistance or the onset of the Cold War, this does not necessarily undermine the notion that human beings are somehow trapped within a world or social circumstances in which they have little control or little understanding. The important point, for purposes of this paper’s thesis, is that the conflicting interpretations can be transcended if one assumes that the transcendental theme is one most specifically related to the human being’s search for purpose and meaning in a confusing physical world. Whether Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for God, a real person, intellectual knowledge of social circumstances, or the laws of the universe is fundamentally tangential to the fact that they are helpless in the circumstances that Beckett has created. They are petty, feeble, and passive. The rest of this paper therefore proceeds from the assumption that the conflicting interpretations can be unified by treating the fundamental theme as the search for purpose and meaning in life. This fundamental theme will be discussed in the following sections by referring to specific features of the play. Significance of Human Companionship: Pairs, Dependence, and Shared Searches One of the most important structural features of the play is the fact that human beings are portrayed as being extraordinarily dependent and unable to exist in isolation or individually. This is most evident in the fact that the play’s characters come in pairs and seem in many ways to be inseparable. The main characters, for instance, are Vladimir and Estragon. It would appear that they have arrived as a pair, they continue to wait as a pair, and although they never leave they do talk about leaving as a pair. They have different personalities, they would appear to have different backgrounds given the different stories that they tell, and yet they seem unwilling or unable to separate and go their own ways. This notion of human inseparability, a common fear or ignorance about the meaning of human existence, is particularly clear when Vladimir and Estragon are discussing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the two thieves on the cross next to Jesus. Specifically, the fear of being alone and the emphasis of human companionship is provided in the following passage VLADIMIR: Ah yes, the two thieves. Do you remember the story? ESTRAGON: No. VLADIMIR: Shall I tell it to you? ESTRAGON: No. VLADIMIR: It’ll pass the time. (Pause. ) Two thieves, crucified at the same time as our Saviour. One— ESTRAGON: Our what? VLADIMIR: Our Saviour. Two thieves. One is supposed to have been saved and the other . . . (he searches for the contrary of saved) . . . damned (Becket n. p. ) This passage illustrates the need for human companionship and also the need for human beings to depend on each other. This companionship is necessary because human beings must face the uncertainties of the world and human existence together. The dependence is thus caused by a fear that individuals will be unable to cope with these uncertainties whereas humans sharing these fears can at least confront these uncertainties together. This common bond, in short, helps human beings to deal with their confusion about the meaning of human existence better than if they pondered these questions alone. An examination of the entire play consistently reinforces these notions of companionship and dependence. Later on in the play, for example, Vladimir and Estragon are considering suicide and the pair again grow concerned that one will successfully commit suicide and the other will fail. The prospect that one of them will die and one will live is a frightening thought for both men because one will be unattended in death and the other will be unattended in life. Again, because the purpose and the meaning of human existence is unknown both in life and in death, the pair refuse to split up or pursue any action that might destroy their emotional and physical bonds. At another point in the play, Estragon states that â€Å"There are times when I wonder if it wouldn’t be better for us to part† to which Vladimir responds rather matter-of-factly â€Å"You wouldn’t go far. † (Beckett n. p. ). The play could not exist as it was intended if the pair ever did separate. The quest for purpose and the meaning of human existence is therefore a common human quest rather than an individual’s personal burden. These notions of human companionship and a shared quest are even more powerfully presented with the human pairing of Pozzo and Lucky. In their first appearance, Lucky is a slave and yet he prefers being a slave and being dependent to being set free. Lucky is ridiculed, he is called a pig, and yet he reacts angrily when someone other than Pozzo attempts to help him; more particularly, he kicks Estragon in the shins. A telling scene in this respect is when Lucky appears to faint after dancing and giving his rather incoherent speech; more particularly, Pozzo is deeply fearful at the prospect of losing his slave when he says Don’t let him go! (Vladimir and Estragon totter. ) Don’t move! (Pozzo fetches bag and basket and brings them towards Lucky. ) Hold him tight! (He puts the bag in Lucky’s hand. Lucky drops it immediately. ) Don’t let him go! (He puts back the bag in Lucky’s hand. Gradually, at the feel of the bag, Lucky recovers his senses and his fingers finally close round the handle. ) Hold him tight! (Beckett n. p. ) Even a human master is dependent on his slave, the companionship of master and slave is intimate because both fear facing the uncertainties of life alone, and like the bond that exists between Vladimir and Estragon, so too does a very real bond exist between Pozzo and Lucky. This bond is reinforced in the second act when Pozzo returns blind and his neck is tied to a rope being held by Lucky. Pozzo could not sell his slave and the slave is now leading the master. As if these two clues were not enough, Beckett included yet one more human pair to emphasize the common fears that human beings have about the purpose of their lives and the meaning of human existence. This final human pairing is the boy sent as Godot’s messenger. The boy and Godot constitute a final human pairing and the boy recounts to Vladimir and Estragon that Godot is real and that Godot â€Å"beats my brother. † (Beckett, n. p. ) Despite the beatings, the boy and his brother remain with Godot as is established at the end of the second act. This scene is also notable because it establishes that Godot exists and that the most essential human relationships are about the aforementioned human pairings rather than about Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot. The waiting, as it were, may simply be the context within which Beckett sought to establish the shared human bonds with respect to their confusion about the meaning of life. The question thus becomes how these dependent and mutually burdened companions ought to approach their lives. Function of Idleness: Fear of Action and Aversion to Failure In addition to their unwillingness to separate, Vladimir and Estragon seem also quite unwilling to commit to any action despite a great deal of conversation. To be sure, the play is marked almost exclusively by dialogue rather than action. The pair carry on a series of seemingly endless conversations, most of them rather childish and inane, and these conversations in the end seem to represent a rather firm commitment to making no commitments at all. Vladimir, for example, recognizes this fear of action or commitment when he says to Estragon Let us do something, while we have the chance! It is not every day that we are needed. Not indeed that we are personally needed. Others would meet the case equally well, if not better. To all mankind they were addressed, those cries for help still ringing in our ears! But at this place, at this moment of time, all mankind is us, whether we like it or not. Let us make the most of it, before it is too late! (Beckett qtd. in Brater 147) Vladimir and Estragon, for all of their apparent desire to actually meet Godot, are wholly unprepared to take any affirmative steps to actually go and locate him on their own initiative. They admit that time is passing, that they represent â€Å"all mankind†, and that it will be â€Å"too late† if they do not do something. It is this very inability to do something, an inability which they represent figuratively as all human beings, that characterizes their function in the play. There are several clues to the effect that they can find Godot if they were not inhibited or afraid in some way. First, Vladimir and Estragon have obviously followed a country road to the tree where they are waiting for Godot. The fact that they have walked this particular country road, and selected this particular tree, suggests that they know in which direction the mysterious Godot resides. Presumably, if their actions were not somehow constrained, they would simply continue walking along the same country road until they found Godot. They could ask for directions or assistance along the way and they could become more active in pursuit of their ultimate destination. The problem, however, is that both Vladimir and Estragon perhaps do not know their precise destination. The second clue to the effect that the waiting of Vladimir and Estragon is a product of their own doing rather than Godot’s apparent tardiness is the fact that a boy appears twice in the play as a messenger. The boy admits quite literally that he and his brother know Godot, that they are employed or otherwise beholden to him in certain respects, and that he will return to Godot as soon as his message has been provided to Vladimir and Estragon. Why, then, could they not have simply followed the boy home to Godot? Indeed, this is a curious question that can only be resolved if one assumes that Godot is irrelevant to the waiting. Some interpretations, it must be acknowledged, have suggested that Beckett intended Godot as God and that they boy messenger was intended as a type of angel ( Mercier 27); such an interpretation, whether accurate or not, does not undermine a thesis to the effect that the predominant theme remained man’s tentative quest to understand himself and the universe in which he lived. This is true for a couple of reasons. First, when asked whether he intended Godot as God, Beckett repeatedly stated that there was never intended to be any relationship between Godot and God. Presumably, the play’s author knows what was intended. That many interpretations have focused on Godot as God, however, is not surprising. The names are almost the same and the quest to understand the nature and the meaning of human existence necessarily implicates some questions related to God and how the universe was created. Thus, although these interpretations are somewhat rational, the evidence that can be derived from Beckett’s own statements and the play’s text taken as a whole counsel against such an interpretation. God is relevant, as one possible explanation for the meaning of human life, but Godot is no more God than Vladimir and Estragon are hoping for salvation. Godot is Godot and the human pair waiting by the tree are seeking understanding and illumination rather than salvation. Second, the play’s theme is more about the waiting and the rational underlying the waiting than it is about Godot. The entire play, to be sure, takes place in one setting. Other settings, including Godot’s, are tangential and not central features of the play’s structure. The waiting, in this respect, transcends the distant character vaguely known as Godot. One leading scholar of the play has noted how the waiting is more important than Godot by arguing that The play’s minimal plot and action are accurately described in its title: throughout the duration of the play, and throughout an undeterminable amount of time that elapses in their lives, the two central characters await an event that does not happen and may never happen. Meanwhile, necessarily, they pass away their time in some- times abrasive conversation, in chance encounters with a pair of odd passersby, and in expressions of mutual if sometimes exasperated compassion and the long-standing concern that can develop only between inseparable friends. (Hutchings 23) Taken together, the best argument that one can derive from the play’s text is that there is a dominant theme; that dominant theme, in turn, is that human beings are collectively and inseparably bound together by the fact that they do not know the purpose of the human race or the meaning of their own existence. Such a lack of knowledge encourages closer types of human dependence and simultaneously inspires caution, uncertainty, and fear. All the while, amidst this uncertainty and fear, time passes by and all human beings are faced with dying without ever having understood why they existed in the first place. Life is a tree to which we are all tethered much in the same way that Vladimir and Estragon were figuratively tethered. Conclusion In conclusion, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is best read as an artistic rendition of the greatest human dilemma of all time. Human beings, in this respect, are born with an imperfect knowledge of themselves and of the universe in which they exist and are expected to function. This imperfect knowledge lends itself to much speculation of the purpose and meaning of human existence, as the many religions around the world forcefully attest to, but in the end it is nothing more than idle and meaningless speculation. Godot, whether he is God or not, is irrelevant in the play. It is the waiting, the search and the confusion that all human beings share, that is the play’s common lamentation. That all of the critics tend to characterize the play as tragedy or comedy somewhat misses the play’s essential nature as a lamentation for a quest for knowledge that can never be fulfilled. We are better advised to forget Godot and get on with living rather than waiting for divine inspiration that will probably never arrive. Works Cited Beckett, Samuel. â€Å"Waiting for Godot. † Samuel Beckett. net Brater, Enoch. â€Å"The Globalization of Beckett’s Godot. † Comparative Drama 37. 2 (2003): 145+. Questia. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. Hutchings, William. Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot: A Reference Guide. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2005. Questia. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. Mercier, Vivian. â€Å"The Uneventful Event. † The Critical Response to Samuel Beckett. Ed. Cathleen Culotta Andonian. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. 95-96. Questia. Web. 10 Dec. 2009.

Making Research Decisions Essay

Chapter 12 – Discussion Questions (Making Research Decisions) # 5 a Yes—Depends—No: One problem would be that â€Å"depends† is very vague and doesn’t give reasons as to why someone would pick â€Å"no† at some point and â€Å"yes† at another. A way to make this better would be to add a â€Å"please describe† line or change the wording all together. There is no way to express â€Å"don’t know† or â€Å"undecided†. b Excellent—Good—Fair—Poor: One problem with this would be that it may not have as valid a measure as say an 8 point scale, â€Å"as the number of scale points increases, the reliability of the measure increases. Second, in some studies, scales with 11 points may produce more valid results than 3-, 5-, or 7-point scales† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011). What may be â€Å"good† to someone may be â€Å"fair† to another. c Excellent—Good—Average—Fair—Poor: People may have trouble telling the difference between â€Å"good† and â€Å"average† because shouldn’t â€Å"average† already be â€Å"good†? d Strongly Approve—Approve—Uncertain—Disapprove— Strongly Disapprove: An issue with this would be that it is an unbalanced scale, â€Å"unequal number of favorable and unfavorable response choices† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011). Chapter 5 – Discussion Questions (Terms in Review) # 1- 3 1. a Purpose: This is one way that managers can study and chose information. This way evaluates the â€Å"explicit or hidden agenda of the information source† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011). b Scope: The scope applies to the content of the information and the extent to which it covers such as any kind of limitations or time period sensitive data. c Authority: This factor looks at the quality and level of the information, for example what the source credentials are and whether it is primary, secondary or tertiary. d Audience: This has to do with the type, any specific characteristics, of people or groups of people â€Å"for whom the source was created† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011). e Format: This has to do with the way the data is presented â€Å"and the degree of ease of locating specific information within the source† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011). 2. Define the distinctions between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources in a secondary search. A primary source is one that uses a valid original work such as raw data and is the most valid type of data. Secondary sources interpret the data and research from a primary source, an example of this would be a textbook or news article. A tertiary source is one that presents and interprets data that has been found from secondary sources. 3. What problems of secondary data quality must researchers face? How can they deal with them? One of the biggest problems with secondary data is the fact that the information being citied is an interpretation of the original data. The best way to avoid a misinterpretation of the data is to look for the original or primary source that is referenced in the secondary source and directly quote or use the data from that. This will eliminate the chance of having misinterpreted data put into an important project and it will lend you an additional source. Researchers should evaluate and select information sources based on the 5 factors. Read the case study, State Farm: Dangerous Intersections. Answer discussion questions 1 through 5. 1. Identify the various constructs and concepts involved in the study. To answer this question we must define what a concept and construct is, â€Å"an image or idea specifically invented for a given research and/or theory-building purpose† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011). A concept is â€Å"a bundle of meanings or characteristics associated with certain events, objects, conditions, situations, or behaviors† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011). A construct of this study is that if State Farm gives money to the states of dangerous intersections to fix them this will decrease the amount of claims in that area due to the intersection becoming safer due to alternate construct. A concept would be that State Farm cares about their customers. Another construct would be that the amount of claims in a given intersection is due to poor construct. Another concept would be that State Farm wants to help states to improve their intersections. 2. What hypothesis might drive the research of one of the cities on the top 10 †¨dangerous intersection list? An example of a hypothesis that may influence the research of one of the top 10 dangerous intersection list would be â€Å"This intersection is one of the top ten most dangerous intersections in the United States† or â€Å"This intersection is where 50% of the states accident claims occur.† 3. Evaluate the methodology for State Farm’s research. I would say that State Farm’s methodology is concrete because it specifies exactly what the variables are and how the study is constructed. They also implemented a measurement system for classifying accidents. 4. If you were State Farm, how would you address the concerns of transportation engineers? I would provide suggestions of what the constructs of the safest intersections in a comparable size city are and help the engineers come up with a solid and safe plan to reconstruct the intersection. I would need to make sure the engineers understood the idea of future studies as well as how the grant could assist them. 5. If you were State Farm, would you use traffic volume counts as part of the †¨2003 study? What concerns, other than those expressed by Nepomuceno, do you have? My concerns would be out of date data. That data would be almost ten years old and may not be the most accurate at this point. I would want to complete more relevant data for say the last 5 years. I would think it as prudent to include traffic volume counts and compare them to different areas because if there is less traffic at a given site there is more then likely going to be fewer accidents. I would propose to use different studies that compare different volume counts in different geographic areas to make the statistics more complete.

A Short Narrative of My Life

Therefore, she was very strict and harsh with rules and punishments which in due time were going to produce in me a seed of rebellion. Eventually, it rooted deeply in me and sprouted soon enough at about the age of 8 years old. Everything went downhill from there on which manifested in different and diverse ways, such as, disorderly conduct, rebellion towards all kind of authority, the beginning of substance abuse starting with alcohol, cigarettes and drugs, and living life in the fast lane in general. As I grew older, this increased with no care for rules at all and a death wish. This was only one of the reasons for my decision that took place when I was about 20 years old. I grew up in a dysfunctional family. My mother left my father before I was born and met my first stepfather right after. She was young and in need of being loved, so she saw the opportunity of protection and support in this man since she was pregnant and alone in New York City. Because I did not really have a father, my mother had to assume that role and be harsh, strict, and sometimes aggressive. She did not know better. Therefore, I became a problem who would not listen and I would get into trouble at school, and misbehave at home, break things, scream, drink behind my mother’s back, etc. All of this would have its toll at about 11 years old when I was living in New York again. I came back to live with my biological father then. I had met him when I was 8 years old. Here, I confronted a different life full of dangers, jealousy from my stepbrothers, and physical aggression from my dad. I got involved in the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol and became a gang member seeking the love and respect that I was not getting at home. I also got arrested and witnessed deaths of friends. This journey, which lasted about 10 years, ended or started its ending when I was deep into drugs and violence. It is not a mystery that the neighborhood in which I lived was under the rule of the Colombian Mafia back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I lived in Jackson Heights, which was known back, then as â€Å"Little Colombia†, because of the huge population of Colombian immigrants that totaled about a million in the neighborhood. Therefore, mafia was part of the everyday life. Many kids were selling drugs and doing hits for the mafia. Terror and fear were common amongst many inhabitants of the area. Most young kids wanted to be like Pablo Escobar, the â€Å"Capo† of the Colombian Medellin Cartel, taking him as a role model to follow. I was one of those kids that followed this â€Å"role model†, who inspired many kids to get involved in this life. This led me to a fast and dangerous life where I was blessed to be alive, since I saw many of my friends die in the line of battle because of wrong decisions. I, on the other hand, knew how to take care of myself and managed to stay alive but became an addict. I ended up homeless and in various rehabs, halfway houses, shelters and clinical therapy. I lost all respect for others and myself. I was not me anymore but I had turned into the awful monster that had taken over my life. I was for sure headed to a bottomless pit. I was going straight to the pits of hell, condemned forever with no hope of looking back. When I was about 19 years old, I was in a rehabilitation center when a woman came to me and started preaching to me about the Bible and its message. About the Messiah, this was Jesus for her and soon would become mine too. At first, I really did not listen to her but she insisted and came back a few more times. Then we were invited to a church and I saw all the love and attention that those people were giving others and me without knowing us and I was surprised and astounded at this. This was my first experience with Jesus or anything that had to do with a Messiah that was very real to me. I was hopeless, since that moment a little door opened up, and there was some light. After that, I was sent to a halfway house where the director coincidentally was a Christian Pastor. I lived in this house for about a year and in the course of that year; the director practically took me under his wing. He invited me several times to his church until I made the decision of going. I was far from being different but it was the beginning of a different life. I went and experienced a new beginning, I was born again, I had accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and everything was going to start changing from then on. It was 1993. The month I do not quite remember but I was 20 at the time. I relapsed almost at the end of 1993 and I had to go into a rehabilitation center again. This time was my last one. It was about October when my Dad sent me a plane ticket to Oakland, California. I was given the chance to make a decision on living or staying and my choice was made. I lived in Oakland for some time and started working there as a salesperson and met my sons mother. Yes, I have a son. He was born on September 11 of the year 1994 and unfortunately, I was not there to see him come into this world. It is something that I have regretted my whole life. I was young and scared and the only thing I knew how to do was to run, so I did. He is 18 years old right now. He is a miracle of life because his mother wanted to commit abortion and I did not permit it. I was not going to let her kill my son. Therefore, by the grace of God he was born. That is why I say that he is a miracle of life. I am not going to lie to you and tell you that everything was a bed of roses from the time I left the United States. I made many mistakes that took their toll, but now after I had accepted Jesus as my Savior I had new hope, new strength, and a new purpose to follow and be better. In 1994, I traveled back to Colombia, started to attend a church, and got involved in a ministry as I worked and tried to live a normal life. I was there for almost 17 years and my life had a complete turn-around. I prospered and got new friends. I have been sober for almost 20 years and I love life, creation, people, and most of all my dear Jesus, who gave me salvation and eternal life by just believing in Him and accepting Him and His dominion in my heart. Even though, it has not been an easy journey because I have gone through thick and thin, I continue with my head up. I am standing firm in this path. I have been back in New York for three years now and I have many amends to make, God willing. I have been working and studying for my degree to achieve my dreams and letting other people know about the person who changed my life and gave me a new purpose. A new direction and meaning to my life. A life dedicated to worship the Father, the Almighty God, Jesus his son and the Holy Spirit of God. A tricotomy that is a mystery manifested in the One and only true God.

The Question Of Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Question Of Obesity - Essay Example The answer is of course, no. The road to a healthy mind in a healthy body is just being moderate in the food we consume. When one says â€Å"junk food,† one thinks of juicy, meaty hamburgers, cheeseburgers, deep-fried French fries, ice creams with tons of chocolate in them, cookies and cakes, etc. And this is exactly what McDonald’s offers: delicious junk food. The history of this widely renowned franchise is long and vast. It has been in public service ever since 1940, and as they claim, they’ve â€Å"managed not just to live history, but to create it.† They have come a long way from drive-thru restaurants which offered just hamburgers and Coca-Cola and have developed into the largest chain of hamburger food restaurants, serving more than 58 million customers daily. In addition, they provide the customers with a chart that shows detailed nutritional information on their menu items, plus ingredient and allergen information. Their aim is to supply its consumers with quality food to balance busy lives. Now, the question of living a healthy lifestyle is all about what to consume and what to steer clear of. With regular exercise and having a strong character, one need not lock his cupboard in fear of eating everything sweet, greasy or fattening there is inside. The same thing is with McDonald’s. If you feel like having a hamburger every once in a while, by all means, treat yourself to one. Because there is nothing worse than denying yourself something you crave for. We should feel free to indulge in a Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich, a Grilled Chipotle Barbecue Snack Wrap, a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese or a Big N’ Tasty with Cheese. And, we should top it off with Coca-Cola, Minute Maid Orange Juice or Vanilla Triple Thick Shake.

China's Aging Population Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

China's Aging Population - Research Paper Example The advances in health care that has raised the life expectancy to about 78 years have caused the china to change into an aging population. The high nutritional values in conjunction with the one child policy assumed by the modern day families in the country are also catalyst to aging population in China. The shift of China’s population to old age oriented might have a profound effect on her economy for the adults to be. The Chinese government will have to alter its budgetary policy in favor of the current situation and allow for heightened expenses. According to the international standards of population and demographic distribution, if more than ten percent of the county’s population is above sixty years of age, then this population is described as an ageing population. The Chinese government announced in 2000 that those beyond sixty-five years make about seven per cent of the national population. However, the expectation was that this trend would continue and expected that by 2050 more than thirty per cent of the country’s population would be more than sixty years. The basis of china’s aging population are just as those found anywhere in any other country (Robinson 231). The country has low infertility rate, the life expectancy has risen, and there has been cumulative effect in changes of birth and death rates. The country is and will continue to experience a decline in fertility rate due to the one-child policy. The government has been advocating for the adoption of this policy, thus it has been the main contributor to the changing structure of the Chinese population. The future of the Chinese economy is likely to be very prudent if measures to counteract the negative economic effects that may come along with the aging population are not set. The country may have to change the legal retirement age in order to facilitate work for a continuous production round the year. The Chinese economy is likely to have a great effect in the fut ure. Take for instance the education system that receives a lot of emphasis in the Chinese families. The education system currently has great effect from the large swaths of population where even the secondary education has no guarantee and the technical training as well (Uhlenberg 157). However, improving the education system and the skills of the workers may have a positive effect in improving the economy and compensate the impending decline in the share of the working age. Improving the skills of labor that is absorbed in to the production sector improves the productivity of the country. China has been on the long run to lay strategies that would mobilize the portion of the potential workforce, which is dormant or poorly utilized. The reserve labor force of china lays the concerns that china may not have enough workers in the future (England 5). As the population ages, the country will have to devote most of the resources to the care of the elderly people. The government will hav e to increase the pension rates in order to benefit the elderly. The increasing ration of the old people in the Chinese population has diverse economic implication for its society and thus impromptu policies and measures to counteract the future effect have to be laid. As the proportion of the elderly people, grow higher in relation to the overall population, the proportion of the young workers drops (Robinson 238). For example in china the active labor force aged

Senior Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Senior Philosophy - Essay Example Aristotle begins by investigating the fundamental purpose of humanity. In doing this, the renowned scholar determines that happiness is not just a feeling or a sensation. According to him, happiness is the ultimate goal of human existence. In his investigation of happiness, he seeks to determine the nature of happiness and its role in the life of an individual. He discovers that happiness is fundamental in the life of every human. Unlike the most prevalent definition of happiness, that attributes happiness to either a feeling or sensation, Aristotle determines that happiness is a prerogative for a successful and fulfilling life. According to him, happiness is a relative concept that means different things to different people. He says, â€Å"Happiness depends on ourselves† (Aristotle 121). In the phrase, Aristotle claims that everyone is everyone’s prerogative. Everyone understands the things that make them happy and in an ideal society one should therefore pursue only s uch. In his foundations of metaphysics, Immanuel Kant begins by defining morality as the personal decision and ability to distinguish between right and wrong. From his definition, Kant understands the relativity of the concept. This implies that morality means different things to different people. This therefore validates the need for base of argument in which everyone counterchecks his or her definition of morality. Morality is behavioral and arises from the traits that one exhibits. The basic definition of either ethics or morality thus rests on the limitation of harm to either self or a third party (Immanuel 61). The social decisions that people make must therefore not harm others. Taking a loan while consciously aware of ones inability to repay is a deliberate cause of harm, which qualifies as both a crime and a sin. The two define unethical conducts that also cause harm to third parties. Question 3 Pleasure is yet another relative concept that means different things to differen t people. Pleasure is an abstract noun and therefore not measurable. However, however, John Stuart Mill sough to develop a concept that would help one measure the quantity of pleasure in an individual and therefore compare the amount of pleasure people feel at different times. The difference in personalities influences the difference in pleasures that people feel. Most people derive pleasure by holding a dominating position (John 66). Whenever people engages in an activity that earns them gratification, they always seek to control such This way, the essence of pleasure sets in thereby fulfilling a previously existing void. However, Stuart explains that it is equally imperative that one concentrates and participate on the activity fully. According to his hypothesis, the level of involvement in the activity is directly proportional to the amount of pleasure that one derives from such. Additionally, pleasure is portrayed in the on both verbal and nonverbal reactions. Through the observ ation of such features as facial expressions and other types of responses as the little gibberish that people make when engaging in such activities, help one determine the amount of pleasure in another. However, the relativity of the concept implies that the level and amount of pleasure depends on the individual and may not correspond with the feelings in another. Question 4 Morality as defined earlier is a behavior determinant that helps people exhibit desirable behaviors. However, the concept is relative as people exhibit various behaviors. Sigmund Freud investigates the concept and determines that morality is social feature that arises from the nature of the society. Coincidentally, Lewis determines that as well. The two psychological scholars agree that morality moderates human behaviors thus limiting harm in the society. Morality as a social concept is therefore relative to the society. This implies that an action considered moral in one society may not be in another. Howe

The King Tut Exhibit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The King Tut Exhibit - Essay Example Howard Carter had worked in Egypt for 31 years before he found King Tut's tomb. Carter had begun his career in Egypt at age 17, using his artistic talents to copy wall scenes and inscriptions. Only eight years later in 1899, Carter was appointed the Inspector-General of Monuments in Upper Egypt. In 1905, Carter resigned from this job and in 1907 he went to work for Lord Carnarvon. After several relatively successful seasons working together, World War I brought a near halt to their work in Egypt. Yet, by the fall of 1917, Carter and his sponsor, Lord Carnarvon, began excavating intensely in the Valley of the Kings. By November 1, 1922, Carter began his final season working in the Valley of the Kings by having his workers expose the workmen's huts at the base of the tomb of Rameses VI. After exposing and documenting the huts, Carter and his workmen began to excavate the ground beneath them. By the fourth day of work, they had found something - a step that had been cut into the rock. It was the stairway to the tomb of Tutankhamen. If there was anything left inside, it would be a discovery of a lifetime for Carter. If the tomb was relatively intact, it would be something the world had never seen. The plastered door was photographed and the seals documented. Then the door came down, revealing the Antechamber. The wall opposite the entrance wall was piled nearly to the ceiling with boxes, chairs, couches, and much more - most of them gold. On the right w On the right wall stood two life-size statues of the king, facing each other as if to protect the sealed entrance that was between them. This sealed door also showed signs of being broken into and resealed, but this time the robbers had entered in the bottom middle of the door. Before the entrance between the two statues in the Antechamber could be opened, the items in the Antechamber needed to be removed or risk damage to them from flying debris, dust, and movement. Documentation and preservation of each item was a monumental task. Carter realized that this project was larger than he could handle alone, thus he asked for, and received, help from a large number of specialists. To begin the clearing process, each item was photographed twice, both with an assigned number and without. Then, a sketch and description of each item was made on correspondingly number record cards. Next, the item was noted on a ground plan of the tomb (only for the Antechamber). Carter and his team had to be extremely careful when attempting to remove any of the objects. After the completion of the discovery, artifacts were in their thousands, many of which were golden and had inlays of precious stones. Scholars examined the objects, read the inscriptions, and tried to learn more about his life. The information that was taken seemed to focus more on the art, religion, and funerary beliefs than on the king's reign. The first question about the death of Tutankhamen that needs to be answered is that of the nature of his death. The two examinations of Tutankhamen's mummy found evidence that may answer this question. The first examination, conducted in 1925 when the mummy was unwrapped, found a dark colored lesion on the left cheek. It is slightly depressed from the rest of the skin, and looks somewhat like a scab (Carter, 228). They also found that the king was between 18 and 19 years of age when he died. His history is not completely

How can the knowledge of first-language articulation interference Essay

How can the knowledge of first-language articulation interference positively affect the educational or work setting - Essay Example With most forms of communication in educational cycles and the labor force being through either written or spoken language, it is very important that all people equip themselves with a kind of language with which these forms of communication will be conveyed. Unfortunately, we are not always privileged to take instructions at school and in the work place via the first language. Some of the factors that cause this include migration and the need to work under superiors who speak a different language. In such circumstance, the most likely option that becomes left is the need to adapt to a second language. Happily, idea of a first language would already make the effort to learn the second language easier. Again, it is possible to undertake personal research and general studies in a first language so that transfer of idea is done into the second language for further interpretation. Finally, one of the positive effects includes the fact that language acquisition is not just about the abili ty to speak and write but that the ability to gain general communication skills such as the use of gestures, manners and courtesies. Once a person can do all these in a first language, it becomes easier to transfer these other components of communication at school or at the work

Science in an Educational Context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Science in an Educational Context - Essay Example Apart from discussing the philosophy of science, this paper would reveal the true extent to which national framework over the years has matched the aims of the science subject. It would discuss how far it has been capable of evolving scientific philosophy into the curriculum while improving the youth. Of course, the paper would analyse scientific philosophical implementations into modern day curriculum and the analysis of the depth as to how far the curriculum has addressed scientific theories and practical on different levels. After all, according to White (2003) it is through the anticipation of school subjects that young minds are able to achieve certain end points (White, 2003, p. 1). It would be better to discuss first the philosophy of education and the role it has played in developing National curriculum. Education not only demonstrates societal values but reflects the true morals of any society, therefore reshaping education standards elucidate the kind of society one want to be. Science in this context plays a vital role in recognising a set of common values and applying those values in the school curriculum so that the upcoming generation produces scientists and philosophers rather than producing simple graduates. Resolving the debate about the role science plays in education, most authors believe in the notion that among school subjects, science is usually the best subject which serves as a guide to nourish the minds by providing them the opportunity to observe future behavior of things, for example comets, bridges and power plants. Modern day example also includes different levels of technology. Philosophy of science has enabled our schools as well as students to seek around the most reliable means for predicting scientific explanations and various discoveries about science that occur in the world around us. It is through the contributions of scientific philosophy that new curriculum 2000 has added subjects like 'scientific literacy' as compulsory science education (SIS, 2009a). The same awareness in the longer run leads to diversify subjects like genetics and brain science that offer students to analyse the prospect of a physical science of human beings and their behaviour. It is through the miracles of science that philosophers have aided us with such entities that are hypothesized by modern science, such as genes, viruses, atoms, black holes, and most forms of electromagnetic radiation that remain unobservable. So, whatsoever the scientific method is adopted to equip our generation and however the subject is justified, teachers ought to believe in the practical and theoretical approach that the curriculum tells us about scientific reality beyond the appearances of things (Ladyman, 2002, p. 129). National Curriculum in the context of Historical development In the pages of educational history, the Foster Act 1970 set a foundation of a national school system but was still unable to fill in the gaps left by religious institutes. Foster's 1870 Education Act, though provided an edge to a growing economy but on a political basis where the main aim was to educate laborers. This way children aged 5 to 12 started getting education with an intention of acquiring a least standard of education for everyone. Since the main aim was to provide industrial efficiency to the state under the umbrella of political diplomacy, therefore British government lagged behind

Literary Criticism Essay Example for Free

Literary Criticism Essay Biographical criticism begins with the simple but central insight that literature is written by actual people and that understanding an author’s life can help readers more thoroughly comprehend the work. Anyone who reads the biography of a writer quickly sees how much an author’s experience shapes—both directly and indirectly—what he or she creates. Reading that biography will also change (and usually deepen) our response to the work. Sometimes even knowing a single important fact illuminates our reading of a poem or story. Learning, for example, that Josephine Miles was confined to a wheelchair or that Weldon Kees committed suicide at forty-one will certainly make us pay attention to certain aspects of their poems we might otherwise have missed or considered unimportant. A formalist critic might complain that we would also have noticed those things through careful textual analysis, but biographical information provided the practical assistance of underscoring subtle but important meanings in the poems. Though many literary theorists have assailed biographical criticism on philosophical grounds, the biographical approach to literature has never disappeared because of its obvious practical advantage in illuminating literary texts. It may be helpful here to make a distinction between biography and biographical criticism. Biography is, strictly speaking, a branch of history; it provides a written account of a person’s life. To establish and interpret the facts of a poet’s life, for instance, a biographer would use all the available information—not just personal documents like letters and diaries, but also the poems for the possible light they might shed on the subject’s life. A biographical critic, however, is not concerned with recreating the record of an author’s life. Biographical criticism focuses on explicating the literary work by using the insight provided by knowledge of the author’s life. Quite often biographical critics, like Brett C. Millier in her discussion of Elizabeth Bishop’s â€Å"One Art,† will examine the drafts of a poem or story to see both how the work came into being and how it might have been changed from its autobiographical origins. A reader, however, must use biographical interpretations cautiously. Writers are notorious for revising the facts of their own lives; they often delete embarrassments and invent accomplishments while changing the details of real episodes to improve their literary impact. John Cheever, for example, frequently told reporters about his sunny, privileged youth; after the author’s death, his biographer Scott Donaldson discovered a childhood scarred by a distant mother, a failed, alcoholic father, and nagging economic uncertainty. Likewise, Cheever’s outwardly successful adulthood was plagued by alcoholism, sexual promiscuity, and family tension. The chilling facts of Cheever’s life significantly changed the way critics read his stories. The danger in a famous writer s case—Sylvia Plath and F. Scott Fitzgerald are two modern examples—is that the life story can overwhelm and eventually distort the work. A savvy biographical critic always remembers to base an interpretation on what is in the text itself; biographical data should amplify the meaning of the text, not drown it out with irrelevant material.

Literature Review On Clay Bricks Environmental Sciences Essay

Literature Review On Clay Bricks Environmental Sciences Essay Brick is a core material that is commonly used to build the wall of a building. Clay bricks are the most common brick type. It is made from sand and clay and uniformly burnt at temperatures between 800 °C and 1200 °C. Surface finishes are sometimes applied, e.g. glazed bricks. Glazed bricks are still being produced in large quantity and can be obtained from major English brick manufacturers and suppliers. Calcium Silicate bricks is manufactured from sand-lime (calcium silicate). The bricks are pressed under great pressure and steamed in an autoclave. The bricks are smooth, fine textured and light in colour. The colour of the brick is produced from material source, composition and firing temperature. The size of bricks over time has changed considerably. Some early medieval bricks were 13 inches by 6 inches by 2 inches. By the late 15th century a brick 9.5 inches by 4.5 inches by 2 inches became the norm and a charter in 1571 stipulated bricks by the measurement of 9 inches by 4.5 inches by 2.25 inches. By the 18th century, 8.25 inches by 4 inches by 2.5 inches brick was introduced. Modern bricks are 8.5 inches by 4 inches by 2.5 inches which is following metrication translated to 215mm by 102.5mm by 65mm. Modern bricks are the bricks that are most used in buildings nowadays. 2.1.2 Defect of Size Oversized bricks are caused by poor material selection and preparation or underfiring. Undersized bricks are caused mainly by poor material preparation, faulty moulds and overfiring. 2.1.3 Defect of Shape There are many grounds which contribute to defects in shape. These are including poor preparation of moulds or moulding technique, faults in stacking, rough handling and uneven drying. If the bricks are considerably over burnt, incipient fusion takes place and the bricks, called burrs, will come out of the kiln or clamp and get stuck together. Burrs are suitable only for hardcore purposes. 2.1.4 Defects of Body Faults in the raw material can give rise to defects such as cracking, bloating and laminations. Cracking and warping of bricks, causing incipient weakness, may be due to exposure of green bricks to direct sunlight or rapid drying winds. Similar effects will be produced by putting green bricks into the kiln too soon. Large cracks maybe caused by rain getting onto hot bricks. 2.1.5 Defect of Appearance These defects are caused primarily by faulty wires in the case of wire-cut bricks. Dark spots are caused by the presence of unevenly distributed iron sulphide in the clay. 2.2 Types of Brickwork Defects 2.2.1 Introduction: Most parts of a building are built using bricks. Nowadays, brickwork defects are commonly found in buildings. This problem is getting more serious as days go by. Brickwork defects may cause a lot of problems to the occupants. The main problem encountered in building with traditional outside bearing wall of brickwork and concrete inside bearing structure is caused by differences in the temperature and moisture-induced movement. Cracks may be discovered in walls and solutions have to be found to alleviate this problem. (Verhoef, 2001) Brickwork defect which occurs in buildings has a variety of reasons. This is perhaps not surprising when one considers the wide range of different bricks and techniques in the construction of building, differences in the construction sites and the varied occupational or owner usage of the completed building. Brickwork will deteriorate and decay if not properly maintained. Such deterioration can be caused by a number of factors and can take various forms. The main signs that the brickwork is afflicted are surface growth and staining, efflorescence, loosed brick becoming dislodged, cracks appear through the bricks or mortar and etc. (Moses Jenkins, 2007) In this sub chapter, the different types of the brickwork defect will be determined. This chapter gives an overview of various types of brickwork defects and understanding the brickwork defects. By identifying the different types of the brickwork defects, it will be easy for the occupants or owners to find out the causes of the defects and subsequently take the suitable remedy methods to address the problem. 2.2.2 Brick Wall Settlement Any movement in a structural  brick wall will risk having the bond courses in the wall broken. Any movement in a  brick veneer wall which has broken or loosened the connections between the veneers to the underlying structure is potentially dangerous and risk collapsing the masonry. 2.2.3 Bulging Brick Wall This is likely to be a bond-brick or bond-course failure. This defect is potentially extremely dangerous and immediate action must be taken. If not, it will cause the building to suddenly collapse. 2.2.4 Cracks and Bulges in Brick Walls Frost and earth loading can push a below-grade brick foundation wall inwards. The wall is often bulged inwards as well as showing horizontal and step cracking and loose bricks will surface over the bulged area. The damage occurs from slightly above ground level to roughly the frost line. 2.2.5 Cracks and Loose Bricks Normally, crack and loose bricks are caused by frost, settlement, expansion, diagonal and stair-stepped. These defects often happen at building corners where the roof spillage is concentrated. 2.2.6 Loose Bricks and Missing or Lost Mortar This is the movement where the mortar is severely washed-out by roof spillage or other water movement against the foundation. Loose and lost bricks may also occur where wood blocks, originally set into a wall to permit nailing of interior components, is damaged by insects or decay. Similarly, if the wood joists are damaged and bent excessively or collapsed (insect damage, rot, fire), the collapsing joist can, as its in-wall end moves, damage the foundation or building wall. Fire cuts on wood joists in brick walls were intended to minimize this damage source by angling the end of the joist where it was set into the wall pocket. 2.2.7 Spalling Bricks Spalling is caused by water and frost, such as water leaking into a brick structure at any entry point: a crack, a brick which has lost its hard surface, or at openings by window and door penetrations. It is best to also beware of caulking bricks. 2.2.8 Exfoliating-Rust Damage to Bricks Masonry wall will have these defects when brick walls have been improperly caulked where caulking should have been omitted. The most common example of this defect is the damage that occurs to a brick wall when a steel lintel over a window or door is caulked tightly between the brick and the steel. Moisture penetrating the brick wall through cracks or mortar joints is trapped around the steel lintel. Rust developing on steel lintels has tremendous lifting power as the rusting exfoliating metal expands, sufficient to crack and damage bricks around the lintel. Improper Repair Mortar  on Brickwork During repair works, tuck pointing or re-pointing bricks can cause surface spalling of bricks if the mason uses a too hard mortar with high portland content or mortar on soft bricks in a climate exposed to freezing weather. The high portland content means that the mortar will be not only harder, but more waterproof than the surrounding bricks. Water trapped around the hard mortar can freeze leading to surface spalling of the bricks. This is particularly likely to be seen when a wall has been tuck pointed using hard high-portland mortar where originally a soft high-lime mortar was used and where the original bricks were soft. Salts on Brickwork Salts are a major cause of deterioration. Salt can enter bricks through contaminated water ingress. In coastal areas, salt can come from the sea and, in winter, the nearby application of road salt is a constant threat. Salt is damaging because it creates a steady expansion of crystals within the bricks. This can eventually force the structure of the brick apart. The source of salt can occur from within the bricks themselves or from the application of contaminated mortars or renders. Brick lined chimney flues are also vulnerable as sulphates can be introduced when flu gasses condense. This is a common defect where a chimney has been sealed without adequate ventilation. 2.2.11 Efflorescence on brickwork Efflorescence appears as a white powdery deposit on the brick. It is a phenomenon that soluble salt dissolved in water are carried, deposited and gradually accumulated on brick surfaces to form an unsightly scum. Without water, efflorescence cannot occur. The soluble salts may be originated from the raw material of bricks. But in most cases, efflorescence is caused by salts from the external sources such as ground water, contaminated atmosphere, mortar ingredients and other materials in contacts with the bricks. To minimize the risk, (it can never be completely avoided in brickwork exposed to weathering) the building detail should be designed, as far as is possible, to avoid saturation. In other words, good overhangs, copings and sills with drips, need to be considered. Efflorescence can be helped on its way by sponging down the wall with clean water (avoiding substantial wetting) or dry brushing with soft brushes. Any other treatment should be avoided as it may disfigure the bricks.    2.2.12 Thermal Movement on Brickwork Every materials expand or contracts as the temperature of the material changes, typically expanding as its temperature increases and contracting as its temperature decreases. Different materials expand and contract at different rates when they undergo similar changes in their temperatures. Brick veneer can expand and contract approximately. When determining the expansion or contraction of a brick veneer, it is important to remember the effects of the sun on materials. The energy from the suns rays raises the temperature of a material well above the air temperature. On a day when the air temperature is 32 ° F, the energy from the sun can raise a walls temperature to above 100 ° F. 2.2.12.1 Thermal expansion failures in Structural or Veneer Brick Walls A separate factor that can cause very large movements and extensive damage to brick structures or brick veneer walls is the thermal expansion which occurs across a long or tall brick wall when that wall is heated by intense sun exposure. The photographs show significant thermal expansion damage in a long brick structure. Significant breaks and gaps  at vertical brick mortar joints due to thermal expansion and perhaps some frost and water damage. Figure1: Significant breaks in mortar Horizontal sliding breaks  in brick mortar joints,  exposing reinforcing wire to rust, exfoliation, and additional damage from those forces as the exfoliating wire produced still more pressure on the mortar joint. Figure2: Horizontal breaks in mortar Step cracking  following mortar joints near the building corners and where the wall movement was resisted by first story intersecting brick walls abutting at right angles the middle section of the long brick wall. Figure3: Step cracking in mortar Cracks and broken bricks at the intersections of brick walls and openings. Figure 4: Cracks and broken bricks (InspectApedia, 2007) 2.2.13 Moisture Movement on Brickwork Moisture affects all porous masonry materials, including bricks, mortars and concrete masonry units but in very different ways. These effects must be considered when a combination of these materials is used, such as when bricks rest on a concrete foundation, brick veneer units are used with block back up, and when brick and architectural concrete products are used in the same Wythe bands of precast concrete or architectural concrete block in a brick veneer. After their initial mixing or casting, mortar, poured-in-place concrete and concrete masonry units shrink as the curing of the Portland cement proceeds. This is an unavoidable consequence of the curing of concrete products and is accommodated in design. 2.2.14 Sulphate Attack on Brickwork Most ordinary clay bricks contain sulphates of sodium, magnesium or calcium. These salts are soluble in water, calcium sulphate being less soluble than the other two. Normally, these sulphates are seen as the harmless efflorescence which affect appearance only and need simply to be brushed away. In theory, most brick walls with mortars based on OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement) are liable to sulphate attack. The most vulnerable walls are earth-retaining walls and parapet walls but sulphate attack is a problem also on rendered, and facing brickwork. On rendered brickwork, sulphate attack is manifested by cracking of the rendering, the cracks being mainly horizontal and corresponding to the mortar joints below. The rendering may adhere quite well to the bricks early in the attack but areas are likely to become detached as the expansion of the underlying brickwork causes severance of the bond between the two materials. (Eldridge, 1976) 2.2.15 Lime Staining on Brickwork Lime staining occurs when calcium hydroxide is deposited on the face of brickwork. Lime staining will quickly absorb carbon dioxide from the air and becomes calcium carbonate. It is virtually insoluble and can only be removed by expert which is a costly treatment. The calcium hydroxide can come from three main sources: calcium hydroxide caused by the hydration of Portland cement from hydrated lime added to mortar from brickwork in contact with wet concrete 2.2.16 Porosity on Brick Porosity is an important characteristic of bricks. In contrast to other moulded or pre-cast building materials, the porosity of bricks is attributed to its fine capillaries. By virtue of the capillary effect, the rate of moisture transport in the brick is ten times faster than in other building materials. Moisture is released during day-time and re-absorbed during night-time. The ability to release and re-absorb moisture by capillary effect is one of the most useful properties of brick that helps to regulate the temperature and humidity of atmosphere in a building. This distinctive property makes bricks an admirable building material, particularly suitable for buildings in the tropics. On the other hand, all porous materials are susceptible to chemical attacks and liable to contamination from weathering agents like rain, running water and polluted air. 2.2.17 Crack in Brick Faces / Firecracks The finished appearance of clay brick can vary greatly; this is because it is dependent on clay and the manufacturing process. Some products contain cracks of varying degree (sometimes referred to as firecracks) as an inherent feature. Firecracks are usually visible on the product as delivered. However, firecracks can be masked by the texture and surface sands used in the manufacturing process which becomes visible after the bricks are laid as a result of natural weathering of exposed brickwork. 2.2.18 Dampness of the Brick Wall More or less permanent dampness showing more clearly on the internal wall surface from ground level up to a height of about 750mm, but may be higher in severe cases or if the outer face is covered with a non-porous finish. The decorations may be damp, blistered or discoloured, or, if dry, may have been pushed off the wall by a film or salts which will often be seen as a fluffy crystalline growth. The possible causes of dampness in the brick wall are lack of DPC (damp proof course), by-passing of the DPC, and failure of the DPC material. 2.2.19 Brick Growth and Expansion Gaps in Brickwork Bricks undergo long-term permanent expansion over time. This expansion continues for the life of the brick, but the majority of the growth occurs early in its life. Most general purpose bricks have a coefficient of expansion in the range of 0.5-1.5mm/m (millimeters per meter) over fifteen years. Designers can use the values of the coefficient of expansion to accommodate for the growth of bricks by the size and spacing of the control joints. The provision of control gaps or articulation joints between parts of the structure during construction will accommodate movements within the structure over time. Numerous sources of movement exist and include: The change in size of building materials with temperature, loading conditions and moisture content The differential change in size of building materials (for example, cement products shrink over time, whilst clay bricks expand slowly over time) Foundation and footings movement Frame movement Frame shortening Temperature movement Internal horizontal and vertical movement 2.3 Causes of the brickwork defects 2.3.1 Introduction: Brickworks are used primarily in the construction of walls. To construct the brick wall required many skills, design, experience, selection of material, and technique. Lack of all expertise may cause the brickwork defects or failure of the building. The defects that occur in brickwork maybe the result of inherent faults, deficiencies in production, design, materials or workmanship, and attack by environmental agents. After the brickwork has been constructed, it maybe meets of various requirements, climate, loading, and occupational in use. It is not surprising that defects happened or occurs frequently. In this sub chapter, the causes of the brickwork defects will be list out. To find out the actual causes of the brickwork defects will be easily for the occupational to take the right remedies immediately and reduces the brickwork defects happen. 2.3.2 Selection of bricks The choice of bricks is often influenced by the price but the quality required must also be carefully considered in order to avoid defects developing during the service life of the material. Therefore, the selection of suitable bricks for any particular purpose has often to be a trade-off between appearance and durability requirements on the one hand, and cost on the other. This is not always possible to assess the quality of bricks by the colour, variability of colour of bricks of the same source and method of production can often be an indication of strength and durability variations. 2.3.3 Storage of bricks Bricks on site are rarely kept under adequate cover. Defects in the bricks resulting from the lack of adequate protection on the site are rarely apparent before use. However, bad weather conditions can be detrimental to bricks in that saturation by rain can be responsible for both subsequent efflorescence and decoration defects. 2.3.4 Soluble Salts in Bricks Under burnt bricks contain a high salt content. The salts come from the raw clay from which the bricks are made, or are formed in the burning process. Most clay bricks contain some soluble salts, but the types and amounts vary appreciably. The effect of the soluble salts on both efflorescence and the more serious problem of disintegration of bricks themselves are largely governed by the strength and pores structure of the bricks. 2.3.5 Sulphate attack Sulphates are salts which are naturally present in industrial waste, gypsum product, clay bricks, flue condensates and in some ground waters. In persistently damp conditions, sulphate will react slowly with tricalcium aluminate forming a compound called calcium sulphoaluminate. This reaction causes the cement mortar or render of the brickwork to expend and eventually disintegrate. 2.3.6 Solar Radiation While drying out of soil by trees is the most common reason for cracking in brickwork, some clay are also very susceptible to drying out by direct solar radiation. The northern facing wall is the most likely to be affected and stepped diagonal cracking is the most common symptom, usually occurring at the north east and north west corner of the building. (Loveder, 2000) 2.3.7 Migration of moisture The movement of moisture beneath a building can produce the phenomenon known as long term dome and saucer effect. The dome effect is a slow heaving of the soil caused by movement of moisture from the perimeter of the house to its centre, and the saucer effect is moisture moving in the opposite direction, from the centre towards the perimeter. The dome effect causes the walls to tilt outwards and the restraining influence of the roof produces horizontal cracks on the outside wall. These will be wider on the outside surface rather than the inner. 2.3.8 Planting of tree Some of the brickwork defects may cause by big trees roots that plant nearby the building area. When planning to plant trees, the idea to be considering is the strength of the footings under the house. If lack of strength, the roots of the trees maybe grow into the ground under the building and cause the brick wall settlement and cracking. 2.3.9 Uneven settlement of foundations Where a particular heavy load is placed on the foundation such as a large column, movement may occur as moisture is squeezed out of the soil or the soil readjusts itself. This consolidation will stop when the soil has finally compacted enough to support the load. Brick wall or masonry wall may crack which may result from movement during compaction. 2.3.10 Excessive vibration Damage caused by vibration from earth tremors, heavy traffic or pile driving is fairly rare, however if the vibration is great enough to actually cause the foundation to move, brickwork cracking or defect can occur. The crack will show up irregularly if the sources of the vibration cannot be removed. (Loveder, 2000) 2.3.11 Additional building Building an addition building onto a house or add more storey of houses can impose a load intensity on the soil different that which is there already and so cause differential settlement. Even if the loading intensities are similar, the difference in time between when the two settlements occurred can be enough to create the brick wall cracks. 2.3.12 Approach of design Design of brick wall is very important. The designer must have the knowledge about the brick experience in chosen the types of brick to be used. The designer must be fully aware of the clients needs. Defects often occur because of a lack of understanding of the different types of bricks and the method of construct the brick wall. 2.3.13 Lack experience of worker Workers in the masonry construction is not in strict accordance with the construction and standards, masonry mortar is not full, especially in vertical mortar joints are not full, and even produce dense seam, seam permeability. In addition, the dry brick on the wall, mortar in the brick water was absorbed, causing low strength of mortar, brick and mortar separation, so that the overall stiffness of masonry fell, gray mortar joints crack. 2.3.14 Overloading Cracks of brickwork may result from overloading of the ground on which the building rests, or of the building itself or parts of it. Releasing the load does not necessary allow the masonry wall to revert to its original state since the overloading may have been partially accommodated by a permanent compaction of the bricks. The forces responsible for the overloading may be of external origin, such as excessive wind, or may be internal, such as those arising from the installation of excessively heavy equipment for which the masonry wall was not designed. A change of occupational may have same results. 2.3.15 Lack of maintenance Maintenance must be taken for all the building to minimize the cost of repair work for seriously defects happen. Lack of maintenance will make a small cracks or defects on brickwork change to more serious and serious. 2.3.16 Improper soil analysis and preparation When a builder chooses an area of land to build on, it is important to do some sort of soil analysis and preparation. The analysis will provide the developer and/or builder with enough information to choose the adequate soil preparation and construction strategy that should be used to develop the land. Improper soil analysis and preparations can be very damaging to a housing development. For example, a builder can discover that the land soil is made up of expansive soil. If this is the case, houses need to have a foundation that will be able to support the changing pressure and consistency of the soil. This is because expansive soil will swell when wet and then shrink once it dries. If one builds on this type of soil and is not aware of it, there will inevitably be issues to handle. There will be crack in the brick wall or masonry wall. The repair of this is very costly and very intrusive. Unfortunately, the reality is improper soil analysis and preparations happen all the time. 2.3.17 Negligence of construction Negligent construction is an unfortunately common occurrence. A builder has to be very careful when choosing a contractor or subcontractor. A builder will sometimes use one contactor for various projects. A contractor may have skills to install floor tiles but not the know how to build a brick wall. The responsibility can fall on several parties when there is a defect, and thats up to your attorney to determine. 2.3.18 Movement of the ground Mining subsidence, landslips, earthquakes, or moisture changes of shrinkable clay soil may cause the movement of the ground. The brick wall of the building will be crack because the wall of building has become displaced from the rest without any change in actual size of the materials. In theory, this is possible to reconnect the displace parts to bring the building back to its original condition but in practice this seldom can be done. 2.3.19 Acid rain Acid rain is precipitation that is much more acidic than normal rainfall, and the acid rain is usually caused by pollution such as sulfur and nitrogen emissions. Several different mechanisms are operant in the deterioration of brick masonry through the action of acid rain. The bricks are susceptible to acid rain through the selective dissolution of their glassy phase. The mortar is affected mainly by the reaction of the calcareous components. The soluble salts resulting from these reactions, in solution with rain water or condensed moisture, will migrate through the porous matrix of the masonry. In the places where the water evaporates the salts will be deposited. Repeated dissolution and re-crystallization of these salts leads to the mechanical disruption of the masonry structure. Since the salts will concentrate in the more porous material, either the brick or the mortar will be more seriously affected, depending on their relative porosity. 2.3.20 Environment Two aspects of the environment have been considerably which is wind and temperature. This is because they cause loading to be applied to the structure. The strong wind may cause the brick wall or the whole building move, this may cause cracking to the part of the building. The high temperature applied to the brickwork may cause spalling and brick prolong to high temperature can lead to surface vitrification. (Swoden, 1990) 2.4 Remedies method of the brickwork defects in building 2.4.1 Introduction: As known early, brickwork is one of the largest parts of most of the building. The strength, stability, and durability of brickwork are very important. If lack of all those factor, the brick wall or masonry wall maybe fall down or collapse suddenly. If the brickwork occurs any cracking or defects, the right method of remedies must be taken immediately. This is to ensure that the occupational or owner use the building under safety and healthy purposes. Brickwork will deteriorate and decay if not properly maintained. Such deterioration can be caused by a number of factors and can take various forms. The main signs that brickwork is suffering are surface growth and staining, efflorescence, loosed brick becoming dislodged, crack appears throw the bricks or mortar and etc. So, the right remedy must be taken to ensure the brickwork do not decay and deteriorate. (Moses Jenkins, 2007) In this sub chapter, the remedies method for various types of defects will be list out. This is to avoid the brickwork defect getting serious in building in construction industry. The defects of brickwork must be repair immediately, if not the defects will be more serious. For example, cracking can be due to expansion or shrinkage the clay brickwork itself. 2.4.2 Remedies of efflorescence Efflorescence can be minimized by laying dry bricks and by speeding up the drying process after the bricks have been laid by providing good ventilation. The salts that cause efflorescence are soluble in water. Hosing with water will cause the salts to dissolve and be re-absorbed into the brickwork, and then reappear when the brick wall dries out again. Acid or alkaline treatments are not recommended as they increase the salt content of the wall. The best method is simply brush off the deposit with a stiff dry bristle brush after the wall has dried out. Then sponge the surface with a damp synthetic chamois or high suction sponge. Use very little water and rinse sponge frequently in fresh water. 2.4.3 Sand-Blasted Bricks   Which have been cleaned of old paint, algae, or stains using high pressure sand blasting or possibly even very high pressure water blasting can be permanently damaged by loss of the harder surface of the bricks which had been provided by their original firing. Once the softer internal brick has been exposed, the bricks will be more inclined to absorb water and to suffer water and frost damage. Sandblasting brick is considered a poor practice in building renovation and maintenance. 2.4.4 Remedies of sulphate attack The effects of sulphate attack manifest themselves as expansion of the jointing mortar. On rendered walls the signs are horizontal cracking of the rendering with portions falling off. Advanced stages of attack may make the structure unsafe. When rebuilding is necessary, the bricks use should be of low sulphate content and the mortar should be of a mix of 1:1:6 sulphate-resistance Portland cement: hydrated lime: sand. In addition, care should be taken to exclude all conditions of dampness. On rendered walls, the rendering should be removed and the brickwork allowed to dry before reapplying a weaker mix of sulphate-resistance cement, lime and sand. 2.4.5 Tackling Decay Where decay has occurred, take action to rectify the damage will be necessary before this leads to greater problems. The use of chemical treatments to stabilize brick should only be considered with extreme caution. Whilst the defects may be effective initially, there has been insufficient research carried out on the possible long term damage such treatments could have. Chemical sealants can trap moisture within the brick just as effectively as the claims to keep water out. 2.4.6 Cleaning Cleaning soiled brick buildings should be undertaken carefully. In the past, the use of inappropriate cleaning techniques has resulted in considerable damage being done. If considered essential small scale tests should be employed to assess the effectiveness and likely damage which could be caused before any large scale work is carried out. There are some guides when doing the cleaning works:- Do not re-clean brickwork with the same chemicals unless recommended by the cleaning chemical manufacturer. If there is deterioration, or suspected deterioration, in the mortar joints, additional water and chemicals need

Oliver Twist :: essays research papers

Charles Dickens: Oliver Twist When you told us to read a book from the period which were we learning about I decided to read a book written by Charles Dickens because his works are not so complicated and are good for reading. You can find out some facts about the life in the 19th century. But Dickens wrote many books. So I decided to read Oliver Twist and I was satisfied. Setting: The main part of the novel take place in London especially in the poorer parts of the town in the 1830s. Theme: I think that it is about honest boy who is in the wrong gang. But after all he is not a criminal because ha has got a good heart. But that is what bring him many problems. But his honesty and kindness are the moral qualities which rescue him from the life of a thief. Main characters: Oliver Twist – is a young boy who is bought up as an orphan without parents. He lives in London. His moral qualities do not allow him to live as a criminal. After all troubles he find a group of kind people who gave him what he need – love and family. Mr. Brownlowe – is an old kind gentleman. He is an old friend of Oliver ´s father but nobody knows it. After all he adopted Oliver Nancy – is a young woman who lived with Sikes. She is the member of the gang but she is not a thief or a criminal. She helped Oliver more times. But she can not leave Sikes and that is her problem. Fagin – he is the â€Å"brain† of the gang. Everything what the boys stole is going to him. He is very sly and mean. He wants Oliver to be a thief. Monks – he is Oliver ´s brother. They have the same father but different mothers. He wants his money so he tried to do everything against him. Plot: Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse and his mother died a short while after. Oliver came to the world in very poor conditions. The only persons who were present were an old drunken nurse and a doctor who wasn ´t paid well to care. Oliver Twist was brought up in a special â€Å"baby farm† for orphans and poor. The only person who was carrying about these children was Mrs. Mann who kept the money ,which were for children, for herself. Oliver Twist :: essays research papers Charles Dickens: Oliver Twist When you told us to read a book from the period which were we learning about I decided to read a book written by Charles Dickens because his works are not so complicated and are good for reading. You can find out some facts about the life in the 19th century. But Dickens wrote many books. So I decided to read Oliver Twist and I was satisfied. Setting: The main part of the novel take place in London especially in the poorer parts of the town in the 1830s. Theme: I think that it is about honest boy who is in the wrong gang. But after all he is not a criminal because ha has got a good heart. But that is what bring him many problems. But his honesty and kindness are the moral qualities which rescue him from the life of a thief. Main characters: Oliver Twist – is a young boy who is bought up as an orphan without parents. He lives in London. His moral qualities do not allow him to live as a criminal. After all troubles he find a group of kind people who gave him what he need – love and family. Mr. Brownlowe – is an old kind gentleman. He is an old friend of Oliver ´s father but nobody knows it. After all he adopted Oliver Nancy – is a young woman who lived with Sikes. She is the member of the gang but she is not a thief or a criminal. She helped Oliver more times. But she can not leave Sikes and that is her problem. Fagin – he is the â€Å"brain† of the gang. Everything what the boys stole is going to him. He is very sly and mean. He wants Oliver to be a thief. Monks – he is Oliver ´s brother. They have the same father but different mothers. He wants his money so he tried to do everything against him. Plot: Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse and his mother died a short while after. Oliver came to the world in very poor conditions. The only persons who were present were an old drunken nurse and a doctor who wasn ´t paid well to care. Oliver Twist was brought up in a special â€Å"baby farm† for orphans and poor. The only person who was carrying about these children was Mrs. Mann who kept the money ,which were for children, for herself.

Prejudice and Racism - No Racism in Heart of Darkness Essay -- HOD Jos

No Racism in Heart of Darkness      Ã‚   Chinua Achebe challenges Joseph Conrad's novella depicting the looting of Africa, Heart of Darkness (1902) in his essay "An Image of Africa" (1975). Achebe's is an indignant yet solidly rooted argument that brings the perspective of a celebrated African writer who chips away at the almost universal acceptance of the work as "classic," and proclaims that Conrad had written "a bloody racist book" (Achebe 319). In her introduction in the Signet 1997 edition, Joyce Carol Oates writes, "[Conrad's] African natives are "dusty niggers," cannibals." Conrad [...] painfully reveals himself in such passages, and numerous others, as an unquestioning heir of centuries of Caucasian bigotry" (Oates 10). The argument seems to lie within a larger question; is the main character Charlie Marlow racist, and is Marlow an extension of Conrad's opinion? Achebe says yes to both notions. He points to Marlow's speech about the Thames and the Congo as revealing his view of "Africa as "the other world," the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization," and notes the description of the Africans as "limbs [and] rolling eyes," or, in Conrad's words, "ugly" (315). When they are not incomprehensible "savages" or "brutes," the Africans are farcical: "[The fireman] was an improved specimen; he could fire up a vertical boiler. [...] to look at him was as edifying as seeing a dog in a parody of breeches and a feather hat" (109). Achebe discusses Conrad's withholding the ability of speech from the majority of the African characters. The Africans are not humanized, as the whites are, having no dimension, no tone or color save an alien black. They are never personified; Conrad refers to them as "black shapes" or "mor... ...ifferent standpoint, the story for the story's sake, much like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's mysteries which said nothing about society overtly at all. Unlike Mr. Doyle, Conrad's attempts to make social commentary on the pillaging of Africa immediately thrust him into the shoes of his character, and though he attempted to do good by shedding light on the matter, he made only a half-hearted attempt; not racism, merely a lack of strength of conviction.       Works Cited: Achebe, Chinua. "An Image of Africa," from Chant of Saints: a gathering of Afro-American Literature, Art & Scholarship, Michael Harper, ed. University of Illinois Press, 1979 Conrad, Joseph Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer, 1902. Signet Classic, New York 1997. Oates, Joyce Carol. Introduction to Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer copyright The Ontario Review Inc., 1997.

Graduation Speech :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Hi, my name is Mary Smith, and I want to welcome you all to the County High School graduation ceremony tonight. I came to County High School four years ago. As soon as I walked onto the campus I knew it was the right place for me. In fact if I were to describe CHS in one word it would be "family." Everyone here, students and staff, are the most understanding, supportive and encouraging group of people you could find. It is because of my "family" that I am graduating today. My journey to this day has been filled with many challenges. I dropped out of school thinking that I did not need a high school diploma to accomplish the things I wanted in life. That was a mistake. Finding myself behind in credits, I enrolled in FAHS hoping to get back on track. The foundation for success was here. But soon after, I became pregnant and left school again. I was able to return to school because of the daycare at FAHS. I was more motivated this time around to find my dream of graduating. But my road took another unexpected turn leaving me a teen mom now to two. Once again with the help of the FAHS daycare I returned to school With the support of my "family" my dream is becoming a reality. All of the other students here have stories of their own to tell. Stories of what brought them to FAHS, stories of what kept them here and stories of the obstacles they have had to overcome in their lives. They are about tragedy and triumph, success and failure and of will and determination to follow their dreams. It has been the dream of each and every student here tonight to graduate and that dream is finally coming true. To my fellow graduates, I encourage you to continue to dream big. Whatever your goal is in life - dream to the next level. Believe me when I tell you that you can go farther than you think you can go. People who fail to dream do so because they cannot believe their dreams will come true. Never stop dreaming. James Dean once said, "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." On behalf of my fellow graduates, I would like to extend a special thanks to the staff at FAHS. You had so much faith in all of us.

William and Ziner Comparson

Caleb Marshall Patricia Bjorklund English 111 February, 25 2013 Zinsser and Bird Compare and Contrast Paper William Zinsser is the author of â€Å"College Pressures†, and Caroline Bird is the author of â€Å"College is a Waste of Time and Money†. William Zinsser and Caroline Bird both introduce essays that tell the life of everyday college students and the problems they face while being a student in today’s College University. No matter what we view the hardest problem to deal with college. â€Å"College Pressures†, By William Zinsser Is an essay about the everyday life, troubles and problems of a College student.William talks about the challenges of college and how students react to the new environment that they must deal with when applying and going to college. The pressures of just applying to College can be enough to dishearten the potential student to apply to college. When College’s only taka certain number of students a year, it makes the odd s of getting in to schools like Yale and Harvard almost impossible. The actual odds are some 34%, for the Schools such as Harvard. Students get into college and sometimes fined that they are not prepared for college by any means.Students steadily fall behind on their school work and find themselves in a hole they can’t get out of. With people worried about getting into a good college to find a good job in the world, it’s making getting into college that much harder to do. Students that make it into college find that after they get out of college they are in debt before they have started to make any money for themselves. The Pressures of college can be great, although students seem to strive every day and push through the hardships that they receive. College is a waste of time and money†, by Caroline Bird is an essay about how college is something that everyone doesn’t need. Bird talks about how some students are forced to attend college when its’ no t really what the student wants to do by any means. Students have had the same phrase put into their head over and over again while growing up go to College and get a degree, so you can get a good job. Bird says throughout her essay that college seems like a great idea, but in fact it’s the opposite of that.In Both essays college is something that not all students are ready for, that all students are not able to do. The Problems that college students face in both essays are not always just felt in college; they can also be felt all the way through school. Although both authors hit on the topic that college has its own problems, they also differ in their opinion on the problems. Zinsser says that there are problems that can be dealt with were as Bird has a more opinionated stance on the problems with today’s colleges.

7 C’s of Effective Business Communication

7 C’s Of Effective Business Communication PRINCIPLE OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION – 7C’S To compose effective written or oral messages, you must apply certain communication principles. These principles provide guideline for choice of content and style of presentation, adapted to the purpose and receiver of your message. These principles are not only limited to a sentence level, they are also applicable to all forms of communications, from mere utterances and sentences to complete documents or presentations.To some extent the principles overlap because they are based on a common concern for the audience, whether that audience consists of listeners or readers. These principles are called â€Å"Seven C’s†, these are completeness, conciseness, consideration, concreteness, clarity, courtesy, and correctness. The Seven C’s are as follows: 1) Completeness Message Receiver- either listener or reader, desire complete information to their question. e. g. suppose you are working with multinational company who is engaging with engineering goods, like A. C.Now let say one of your major customer wants some technical information regarding â€Å"thermostat† (because he wants to convey the same to the end users). In this case you have to provide him complete information in a short span of time. If possible, provide him some extra information which he does not know, in this way you can maintain a good business relation with him, otherwise he may switch to another company. Five W’s: One way to make your message complete is to answer the five W’s. †¢? WHO†¢? WHAT†¢? WHEN†¢? WHERE†¢? WHY The five question method is useful when you write requests, announcements, or other informative messages.For instance, to order (request) merchandise, make clear WHAT you want, WHEN u need it, WHERE it is to be sent. 2) Conciseness Conciseness means â€Å"convey the message by using fewest words†. â€Å"Con ciseness is the prerequisite to effective business communication. † As you know that all businessmen have very short time. Hence a concise message saves the time and expenses for both the parties. How to achieve the conciseness? For achieving the conciseness you have to consider the following. 1. Avoid wordy expression 2. Include only relevant material 3. Avoid unnecessary repetition. Avoid Wordy ExpressionE. g. Wordy: – at this time. Instead of â€Å"at this time† you can just use only a concise word: – NOW, Always try to use â€Å"To the point Approach† in business scenario perspective. Include only relevant information †¢? Always try to provide only relevant information to the receiver of the message. Let’s say one of your customers requested †¢? For clients of the company o in reply you should provide simply list of clients at the panel of your company. o No need to provide detailed business information about client at all. â₠¬ ¢? Observe the following suggestions to â€Å"Include only relevant information. †¢? Stick to the purpose of message Delete irrelevant words Avoid long introduction, unnecessary explanation etc. Get to the important point concisely. Avoid un-necessary Repetition Sometimes repetition is necessary for focusing some special issue. But when the same thing is said without two or three reasons, the message become wordy and boring. That’s why try to avoid Un-necessary repetition. Some ways to eliminate unnecessary words Use shorter name after you have mentioned the long once. e. g. Spectrum communications Private limited use spectrum. Use pronouns or initials E. . Instead of world trade organization use WTO or You can use IT for Information Technology. (Keeping in views that receiver knows about these terms) 3. Consideration Consideration means – To consider the receiver’s Interest/Intention. It is very important in effective communication while writing a messa ge you should always keep in mind your target group consideration is very important â€Å"C† among all the seven C’s. Three specific ways to indicate consideration †¢? Focus on â€Å"you† instead of â€Å"I† or â€Å"We† †¢? Show audience benefit or interest of the receiver †¢?Emphasize positive, pleasant facts. Using â€Å"you† help you, but over use lead a negative reaction. Always write a message in such a way how audience should be benefited from it. †¢? We attitude: â€Å"I am delighted to announce that we will extend to make shopping more. † †¢? You attitude: â€Å"You will be able to shop in the evening with the extended hours. † Readers may react positively when benefit are shown to them. Always try to address his/her need and want. Always show/write to reader†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ what has been done so far as his/her query is concerned. And always avoid that his/her need and wants.Always avoid that has not been done so far. 4. Concreteness It means that message should be specific instead of general. Misunderstanding of words creates problems for both parties (sender and receiver). When you talk to your client always use facts and figures instead of generic or irrelevant information. The following guidelines should help you to achieve the Concreteness. †¢? Use specific facts and figures †¢? choose image building words e. g General He is very intelligent student of class and stood first in the class. e. g. Ali’s GPA in B. Sc Electrical Engineering 2k3-f session was 3. 5/4. 0; he stood first in his class. Always write on a very solid ground. It should definitely create good image as well. 5. Clarity Accurately is purpose of clarity In effective business communication the message should be very much clear. So that reader can understand it easily. You should always choose precise words. Always choose familiar and easy words. Construct effective sentences and paragraphs. In business communication always use precise words rather longer statements. If you have a choice between long words and shorter one, always use shorter one.You should try your level best to use familiar/easy to understand words so that your reader will quickly understand it. Familiar Next familiar words 1-after subsequent 2-home domicile 3-for example e. g. 4-pay remuneration 5-invoice statement for payments 6. Courtesy Knowing your audience allows you to use statements of courtesy; be aware of your message receiver. True courtesy involves being aware not only of the perspective of others, but also their feelings. Courtesy stems from a sincere you-attitude. It is not merely politeness with mechanical insertions of â€Å"please† and â€Å"Thank you†.Although Appling socially accepted manners is a form of courtesy. Rather, it is politeness that grows out respect and concern for others. Courteous communication generates a special tone in their writing an d speaking. How to generate a Courteous Tone? The following are suggestions for generating a courteous tone: Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful and appreciative. Use expressions that show respect for the others Choose nondiscriminatory expressions be sincerely Tactful, Thoughtful and Appreciative Though few people are intentionally abrupt or blunt, these negative traits are common cause of discourtesy.Avoid expression like those in the left hand column below; rephrase them as shown in the right-hand column. Tactless, Blunt More Tactful Stupid letter; I can’t understand I should understand it, as there is no confusing word in this Letter, could you please explain it once again? It’s your fault, you did not properly Sometimes my wording is not precise; let me try again read my latest FAX. Thoughtfulness and Appreciation Writers who send cordial, courteous messages of deserved congratulations and appreciation (to a person inside & outside) help to build goodwill. The alue o f goodwill or public esteem for the firm may be worth thousands of dollars. 7. Correctness At the core of correctness are the proper grammar, punctuation and spelling. However, message must be perfect grammatically and mechanically. The term correctness, as applied to business messages also mean three characteristics o Use the right level of language o Check the accuracy of figures, facts and words o Maintain acceptable writing mechanics. Use the right Level of Language We suggest that there are three level of language 1. Formal 2. Informal 3. Substandard. Take a quick guess:What kind of writing is associated with each level? What is the style of each? Formal and Informal Words Formal writing is often associated with scholarly writing: doctoral dissertations, scholarly, legal documents, top-level government agreements and other material where formality is demanded. Informal writing is more characteristic of business writing. Here you use words that are short, well-known and conversa tional as in this comparison list: More Formal Less Formal Participate Join Endeavor try Ascertain find out Utilize Use Interrogate question. Substandard Language Avoid substandard language.Using correct words, incorrect grammar, faulty pronunciation all suggest as inability to use good English. Some examples follow: Substandard More Acceptable Ain’t isn’t, aren’t Can’t hardly can hardly Aim to proving ai m to prove Desirous to desirous of Stoled stolen. Facts and Figures Accuracy Check Accuracy of Facts, Figures and words it is impossible to convey meaning precisely, through words, from the head of the sender to a receiver. Our goal is to be as precise as possible, which means checking and double-checking and double-checking to ensure that the figures, facts and words you use are correct. A good check of your data is to have another person read and comment on the validity of the material† †¢? Figures and facts †¢? Verify your statistical data †¢? Double-check your totals †¢? Avoid guessing at laws that have an impact on you, the sender and your †¢? Have someone else read your message if the topic involves data. †¢? Determine whether a â€Å"fact† has changed over time. Proper Use of Confusing Words! Our Language (Any) is constantly changing. In fact, even dictionaries cannot keep up with rapid change in our language.The following words often confusing in usage, an is used before consonants and consonants sounds or a long† u† sound. Use an before vowels. Accept, except accept is a verb and means to receive. Except is a verb or a preposition and relates to omitting or leaving out. Anxious, eager Anxious implies worry, eager conveys keen desire. CONCLUSION These 7 C’s help a person to compose a message in such a way that brings back the positive feedback from the receivers. That’s why it is advice able for everyone to understand and apply these 7C’s whether he is a teacher, doctor, businessman or a student. 7 C’s of Effective Business Communication 7 C’s Of Effective Business Communication PRINCIPLE OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION – 7C’S To compose effective written or oral messages, you must apply certain communication principles. These principles provide guideline for choice of content and style of presentation, adapted to the purpose and receiver of your message. These principles are not only limited to a sentence level, they are also applicable to all forms of communications, from mere utterances and sentences to complete documents or presentations.To some extent the principles overlap because they are based on a common concern for the audience, whether that audience consists of listeners or readers. These principles are called â€Å"Seven C’s†, these are completeness, conciseness, consideration, concreteness, clarity, courtesy, and correctness. The Seven C’s are as follows: 1) Completeness Message Receiver- either listener or reader, desire complete information to their question. e. g. suppose you are working with multinational company who is engaging with engineering goods, like A. C.Now let say one of your major customer wants some technical information regarding â€Å"thermostat† (because he wants to convey the same to the end users). In this case you have to provide him complete information in a short span of time. If possible, provide him some extra information which he does not know, in this way you can maintain a good business relation with him, otherwise he may switch to another company. Five W’s: One way to make your message complete is to answer the five W’s. †¢? WHO†¢? WHAT†¢? WHEN†¢? WHERE†¢? WHY The five question method is useful when you write requests, announcements, or other informative messages.For instance, to order (request) merchandise, make clear WHAT you want, WHEN u need it, WHERE it is to be sent. 2) Conciseness Conciseness means â€Å"convey the message by using fewest words†. â€Å"Con ciseness is the prerequisite to effective business communication. † As you know that all businessmen have very short time. Hence a concise message saves the time and expenses for both the parties. How to achieve the conciseness? For achieving the conciseness you have to consider the following. 1. Avoid wordy expression 2. Include only relevant material 3. Avoid unnecessary repetition. Avoid Wordy ExpressionE. g. Wordy: – at this time. Instead of â€Å"at this time† you can just use only a concise word: – NOW, Always try to use â€Å"To the point Approach† in business scenario perspective. Include only relevant information †¢? Always try to provide only relevant information to the receiver of the message. Let’s say one of your customers requested †¢? For clients of the company o in reply you should provide simply list of clients at the panel of your company. o No need to provide detailed business information about client at all. â₠¬ ¢? Observe the following suggestions to â€Å"Include only relevant information. †¢? Stick to the purpose of message Delete irrelevant words Avoid long introduction, unnecessary explanation etc. Get to the important point concisely. Avoid un-necessary Repetition Sometimes repetition is necessary for focusing some special issue. But when the same thing is said without two or three reasons, the message become wordy and boring. That’s why try to avoid Un-necessary repetition. Some ways to eliminate unnecessary words Use shorter name after you have mentioned the long once. e. g. Spectrum communications Private limited use spectrum. Use pronouns or initials E. . Instead of world trade organization use WTO or You can use IT for Information Technology. (Keeping in views that receiver knows about these terms) 3. Consideration Consideration means – To consider the receiver’s Interest/Intention. It is very important in effective communication while writing a messa ge you should always keep in mind your target group consideration is very important â€Å"C† among all the seven C’s. Three specific ways to indicate consideration †¢? Focus on â€Å"you† instead of â€Å"I† or â€Å"We† †¢? Show audience benefit or interest of the receiver †¢?Emphasize positive, pleasant facts. Using â€Å"you† help you, but over use lead a negative reaction. Always write a message in such a way how audience should be benefited from it. †¢? We attitude: â€Å"I am delighted to announce that we will extend to make shopping more. † †¢? You attitude: â€Å"You will be able to shop in the evening with the extended hours. † Readers may react positively when benefit are shown to them. Always try to address his/her need and want. Always show/write to reader†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ what has been done so far as his/her query is concerned. And always avoid that his/her need and wants.Always avoid that has not been done so far. 4. Concreteness It means that message should be specific instead of general. Misunderstanding of words creates problems for both parties (sender and receiver). When you talk to your client always use facts and figures instead of generic or irrelevant information. The following guidelines should help you to achieve the Concreteness. †¢? Use specific facts and figures †¢? choose image building words e. g General He is very intelligent student of class and stood first in the class. e. g. Ali’s GPA in B. Sc Electrical Engineering 2k3-f session was 3. 5/4. 0; he stood first in his class. Always write on a very solid ground. It should definitely create good image as well. 5. Clarity Accurately is purpose of clarity In effective business communication the message should be very much clear. So that reader can understand it easily. You should always choose precise words. Always choose familiar and easy words. Construct effective sentences and paragraphs. In business communication always use precise words rather longer statements. If you have a choice between long words and shorter one, always use shorter one.You should try your level best to use familiar/easy to understand words so that your reader will quickly understand it. Familiar Next familiar words 1-after subsequent 2-home domicile 3-for example e. g. 4-pay remuneration 5-invoice statement for payments 6. Courtesy Knowing your audience allows you to use statements of courtesy; be aware of your message receiver. True courtesy involves being aware not only of the perspective of others, but also their feelings. Courtesy stems from a sincere you-attitude. It is not merely politeness with mechanical insertions of â€Å"please† and â€Å"Thank you†.Although Appling socially accepted manners is a form of courtesy. Rather, it is politeness that grows out respect and concern for others. Courteous communication generates a special tone in their writing an d speaking. How to generate a Courteous Tone? The following are suggestions for generating a courteous tone: Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful and appreciative. Use expressions that show respect for the others Choose nondiscriminatory expressions be sincerely Tactful, Thoughtful and Appreciative Though few people are intentionally abrupt or blunt, these negative traits are common cause of discourtesy.Avoid expression like those in the left hand column below; rephrase them as shown in the right-hand column. Tactless, Blunt More Tactful Stupid letter; I can’t understand I should understand it, as there is no confusing word in this Letter, could you please explain it once again? It’s your fault, you did not properly Sometimes my wording is not precise; let me try again read my latest FAX. Thoughtfulness and Appreciation Writers who send cordial, courteous messages of deserved congratulations and appreciation (to a person inside & outside) help to build goodwill. The alue o f goodwill or public esteem for the firm may be worth thousands of dollars. 7. Correctness At the core of correctness are the proper grammar, punctuation and spelling. However, message must be perfect grammatically and mechanically. The term correctness, as applied to business messages also mean three characteristics o Use the right level of language o Check the accuracy of figures, facts and words o Maintain acceptable writing mechanics. Use the right Level of Language We suggest that there are three level of language 1. Formal 2. Informal 3. Substandard. Take a quick guess:What kind of writing is associated with each level? What is the style of each? Formal and Informal Words Formal writing is often associated with scholarly writing: doctoral dissertations, scholarly, legal documents, top-level government agreements and other material where formality is demanded. Informal writing is more characteristic of business writing. Here you use words that are short, well-known and conversa tional as in this comparison list: More Formal Less Formal Participate Join Endeavor try Ascertain find out Utilize Use Interrogate question. Substandard Language Avoid substandard language.Using correct words, incorrect grammar, faulty pronunciation all suggest as inability to use good English. Some examples follow: Substandard More Acceptable Ain’t isn’t, aren’t Can’t hardly can hardly Aim to proving ai m to prove Desirous to desirous of Stoled stolen. Facts and Figures Accuracy Check Accuracy of Facts, Figures and words it is impossible to convey meaning precisely, through words, from the head of the sender to a receiver. Our goal is to be as precise as possible, which means checking and double-checking and double-checking to ensure that the figures, facts and words you use are correct. A good check of your data is to have another person read and comment on the validity of the material† †¢? Figures and facts †¢? Verify your statistical data †¢? Double-check your totals †¢? Avoid guessing at laws that have an impact on you, the sender and your †¢? Have someone else read your message if the topic involves data. †¢? Determine whether a â€Å"fact† has changed over time. Proper Use of Confusing Words! Our Language (Any) is constantly changing. In fact, even dictionaries cannot keep up with rapid change in our language.The following words often confusing in usage, an is used before consonants and consonants sounds or a long† u† sound. Use an before vowels. Accept, except accept is a verb and means to receive. Except is a verb or a preposition and relates to omitting or leaving out. Anxious, eager Anxious implies worry, eager conveys keen desire. CONCLUSION These 7 C’s help a person to compose a message in such a way that brings back the positive feedback from the receivers. That’s why it is advice able for everyone to understand and apply these 7C’s whether he is a teacher, doctor, businessman or a student.